Xtreme fall to Heat in nail biter

By Jamie Harkins

June 23, 2017 12:17 PM

Xtreme player Brad Russnak attempts to run down Heat captain Jaedyn Stratychuk during the second period of Lakeland’s 9-8 win against Lloydminster at the Centennial Civic Centre on Saturday. Jamie Harkins/Meridian Booster

The result may not have been what the Lloydminster Jr. B Xtreme was looking for, but their play in getting there can be considered a definite step in the right direction.

The Xtreme (6-6) fell 9-8 to their Rocky Mountain Lacrosse League division rival Lakeland Heat (9-1) at the Centennial Civic Centre on Saturday.

The Cold Lake-based squad earned the victory on a shot by Issac Brown with 7:03 left in the third period, that finally gave the team a lead the boys from Lloydminster couldn’t come back from.

“The guys put in an effort,” said Xtreme coach Graham Murray. “When we bring an effort, we’re one of the top teams in the league too. We’re no slouches, and when we come and we compete hard, we can play with any team in this league.”

The Heat’s Cole Kulczycki got his club off to a quick start thanks to a Justin Hodinsky steal, break and pass 37 seconds into the first period.

The Xtreme’s Austin Burkart tied the game a minute and-a-half later by burying a rebound past Heat goalie Mason Wild, before Kody Kapple put his club ahead 2-1 on the power play about five minutes in.

The Heat evened the score and then went up 5-2 with a series of quick markers midway through the frame, but a determined push by the Xtreme resulted in hard-earned goals by Jaden Bouvier, Kapple and Burkart and brought the game back to even.

Each of the clubs traded goals during the second period with a few heroics by Xtreme netminder Darrius Petrie late, helping keep the score tied at seven before the third.

“That one arm save I made in the second,” said Petrie, about a stop in close on Hodinsky with less than four minutes remaining, “I thought that was one of my better saves.”

Burkart got the Xtreme into the lead 5:21 into the final frame on a drive into the high slot, before wiring the ball into a low corner, but the Heat’s Brown provided a reply shortly after on the power play.

Brown scored his second of the afternoon and the game winner about six minutes later.

“A couple breakdowns,” said Murray. “It goes one way or the other. The guys came today. They played a great game. It was entertaining I imagine for the fans. Everybody was definitely into it.”

Petrie said games against the Heat haven’t gone their way this season, with the opposition capturing 13-7 and 9-4 wins before the Saturday contest, but they’re trying to figure out a way to beat them.

He said they’ll take another chance to get on the right side of the board this Wednesday at the Cold Lake Energy Centre.

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